Police said that the four men were tracked from Assam after officials traced the money transfer to the state.

Acting on the FIR registered by the Union Health Ministry against unidentified persons for allegedly siphoning funds worth over Rs 2.5 crore by making payments to unknown persons, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has arrested four people from Assam, police said.

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The Indian Express had reported the case on December 28. The ministry had informed the EOW that they uncovered the alleged fraud during a financial audit, following which a case under IPC sections 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) was registered.

Police said that the four men were tracked from Assam after officials traced the money transfer to the state. Police said EOW officials are trying to track the main accused who helped facilitate the fraud.

Several hundred crores are transferred from various health ministry accounts to verified state accounts through the Public Financial Management System. However, a fake account was created and fraudulently verified using the ministry safeguards, and the money transferred to Assam, police said.